Page 47 of Closer

“I’ll believe that when I see it.”

I hear the rustle of fabric and the whisper of her robe hitting the floor. The table creaks as she settles onto it, close enough to touch. I feel like a cat, enticed to do something I shouldn’t. Don’t touch her.

The masseuses return, dimming the lights further, and the music turns softer, mingling with the trickle of a fountain.

Warm oil drizzles onto my back, startling me. Then strong hands begin to knead my shoulders, working out the knots of tension.

I groan, my eyes slipping shut. Beside me, Lil lets out little sighs of pleasure, that shoot straight to my cock, and I shift, trying to subtly adjust myself.

“So, a librarian? How’s that working out for you?” I ask.

Lil’s head turns slightly, one eye cracking open to glare at me. “Sebastian.”

“Yes, princess?”

She sighs, exasperated. “Isn’t this supposed to be relaxing?”

“Well, yeah, but—”

“Then shut up.”

I blink, taken aback. Damn. Okay, then.

2:1. I can work with that.

I try to ignore the soft sounds of Lil’s breathing and the little hitches when her masseuse hits a particularly tense spot. It’s fucking torture.

My mind wanders, conjuring images of my hands on her skin, working out those knots myself. I’d take my time, savor every inch of her. Show her what she’s been missing.

I shift again, my cock throbbing insistently. I need to think of something else.

Lil lets out another little moan, and I nearly come undone. I’m half-tempted to say fuck it and climb onto her table to show her how un-relaxing I can be.

“This was a good idea.” Her voice is soft.

I turn my head to look at her again. In the candlelight, her skin glows like honey, impossibly smooth.

“It’s good. The library job,” she says. “Peaceful. I like books and the quiet.”

“Bet you don’t get much of that living with Mary and Gem.”

She laughs softly. “No, definitely not. But I don’t mind. It’s nice. And you?”

“Oh, you know. Schmoozing investors, crushing the competition. The usual.”

“How could I forget?”

The masseuse digs into a particularly tight spot on my shoulder, and I groan, my eyes slipping shut. “Fuck.”

Beside me, Lil makes a choking sound. I crack one eye open to find her staring at me, her cheeks flushed.

“What’s the matter? Think you can keep quiet?”

“Yes.”

“Want to test that later with me?”

“Shut up, Sebastian.”

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